The Missing Hat
by madisondanes
Summary: it's AU, and it might be OOC... read the A/N inside it's all about the blue hat...


Disclaimer: I don't own GG, if I did…

A/N: this is meant to be funny. It's not angst, no too much anyway. It's actually romantic, I think. I hope it can come through as such. And since first time writing this genre, I don't know if it's any good but be gentle please. It may be absolutely rubbish…I am not really an overly romantic person. And translating the sentiment in a language that is not mine is very difficult. I find angst easier to write.

No relation to previous fics that I have written.

It's AU, in the sense that Luke didn't put back his old hat. It's post series and if there is any variation from the series, bear with it, because there is no way that I am re-watching s7…no way. And Luke never talked to Lorelai about her marriage to you know who! It might be OOC too, I don't know, but I find that I feel better now, having written this…

It's meant to be funny, and romantic and uplifting. I need uplifting humor/romance post series fic like this!

P.S. not being English but Italian, please forgive any grammar mistakes. I do proof read it before upload, but for some reason I always find them after I publish the story! Lol

So here goes nothing.

* * *

THE MISSING HAT

Lorelai was happy for the first time in a long time. It had been a long, long year. And even though her daughter was out in the world living her life without her, Lorelai felt happiness. It did help that her wonderful daughter phoned her every night, at least for now. It did help. She had been gone for three days, four days since the kiss. She had been at the diner just once afterwards. The inn had been in chaos when the computer software crashed. All the data on reservations, lost. Seemingly forever. It had been hard work, but the situation had been resolved!

As she was finally having breakfast at Luke, Lorelai had noticed something unsettling.

Where the heck was his hat? Sure, he had on that horrible black hat, and she understood why he didn't wear the old one anymore.

It was her fault. Sleeping with Chris… what the hell was she thinking? Well, she wasn't, she reasoned. People makes mistakes all the time, and hers could be summarized in one word "Christopher", and it quite included every wrong thing about this past year. Sometime she would find herself cringing at some of the things that had happened. But for the most part she had made peace with it.

Thinking about it, one Friday night dinner, after she delivered the news of the divorce to her mom, her dad had been almost relieved. And then yesterday, out of the blue her mom had called her about bringing Luke to dinner next week. Had she seen the kiss? Of course she had. But it was still so soon. And she didn't see Luke wanting to rush. Although she would at least welcome the possibility.

They had to find their footing again, well Luke had to. Surprisingly, she felt like the old Lorelai again and somehow she just started where she left off. Her feelings for Luke never changing, but now well displayed in the surface. But, and there was still a big but, they hadn't still talked about. "Christopher" being a taboo word, that she doubted he even wanted to hear about. He didn't ask, she didn't offer. The big pink elephant in the room, that hopefully would not cause him to come to his senses, run for the hills, and leave this crazy town for sunny and hot New Mexico.

He seemed fine, but she grew restless again. Where was HER hat?

So absorbed in her own world, suddenly she looked around and Luke was not there. Had he become Copperfield 2.0 while they were separated? Had he performed a disappearing act on the hat too? Somehow her eyes went to the curtain the separated the diner form the staircase. Going up was the apartment, three steps down it was the backdoor, and the supply room on the left. Biting her lip, she made a decision, she needed to find her hat now… So she run up the stairs to his apartment, and barged in.

"Lorelai! what the hell?!" there he was in all his glory, her Luke. Trying, not really succeeding in covering himself with the towel. She took a deep breathe to steady her nerves… if only her eyes could veer a little north it would be fine.

His chest, his muscular, hard…Oh, boy. The face, Lorelai, look at his face! She commented "You are naked".

"I am not naked." He said trying to keep the white towel in place. "I had a shower and I was about to get dressed when a crazy woman decided to barged in. Can I have an answer as to why are you up here?" asked Luke still struggling with the damned thing.

Just look at his face Lorelai, you can totally do it! Lamely she said "You weren't downstairs".

"No, because I was up here. Lorelai, jeez, what are you doing?!" Lorelai went to his dresser and started to look through his drawers…

"I am looking for something…" where was it?

"here? In my staff? you are looking for something here? Lorelai, I need to get changed. Now."

She turned around, crossed her arms on her chest and did something that she hadn't done in a long time…"Well just do that then… it's nothing that I haven't seen before…"

"Lorelai. Go downstairs, now!"

"But…"

"Lorelai. Now."

"Alright, alright. You are so touchy, lately. Luke?" she headed for the door, and then turned around back to Luke, who still was struggling but not really accomplishing the task of covering all.

He looked at her. He was aggravated now. "What?" he barked.

"Just wanted to tell you that, the towel doesn't cover you all that well… so, thanks for the show…"and with a smirk she left out the door.

"Lorelai!" Looking down at himself he realized that she was right. With a sigh he threw the wet towel onto the bed and went to get dressed, all the while muttering about crazy women barging into his apartment. And why the hell didn't he duck in the bathroom?! He was sure that there was no woman on this earth that could fluster him like this! And what had possessed her to come up here, and looking through his clothes? She was cracked as they come, and that was the only conclusion.

After he finally got dressed he still was shaking his head. Stupid Cesar, stupid fryer and stupid olive oil. When he got back to work, Lorelai was sitting at the counter, with a mug of coffee. He made his way to her, slowly. She was staring ahead at nothing stirring the coffee that he was sure was cold already…

"Lorelai, have you fell down and hit your head?"

"of course not, why do you ask?"

"did you, or did you not come upstairs to look through my staff, or am I imagining things?!"

"yes, I did and no, you are not"

"oh, that's comforting. Say, did you take up a new hobby lately that I don't know anything about?"

"No"

"Lorelai…"

"I want to know where you put it!"

"What?"

"I want to know where you put it so you can wear it again!" she was staring to get frustrated now.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Your hat, of course"

"I am wearing it…see this thing on my head?"

"No, not that one, the other one…"

Luke took a deep breathe. "I honestly have no idea what you are talking about…"

"Where is my hat?" at that a few heads turned around to see what the commotion was about.

"Did you live a hat here?" and now he was confused

"NO! Not my hat, your hat the one that I gave you, you know the blue one, it matches your eyes… and all that remember?"

And realization downed on him. Oh damn it! "Oh… that hat…"

"Yes…"

"Lorelai I don't want you to get upset. But that hat, I don't have it anymore…."

"You don't have it anymore? What did you do with it?"

"Well, strictly speaking I don't know. I was cleaning out a bit, and I put it away somewhere, and I don't remember where I put it exactly".

"Did you look for it?"

"Well no, but I have this hat…it's alright. just a hat it does its job…"

"I can't believe this. What did you do, throw it out?2

"Well, I don't remember…."

"It's so typical of you. What did you do? burn the horoscope too?"

"Lorelai, it's just a hat…"

"It is not just a hat! It's a symbol!"

"Of what, my early onset dementia?"

"It's not funny. Now if you'll excuse me I need to go to work!" and with that she took her things and run out of the diner, leaving a very frustrated Luke. Here we go again, he thought.

"What the hell…." With hands to adjust his hat, he sighed.

Lane, that just like anyone else had been bystanders of this new phase in the Lorelai and Luke saga, had answered the phone that obviously Luke didn't hear. "Ah, Luke…."

"What?"

"Larry is on the phone about the meat delivery…"

"Great!" he sighed, took the phone from Lane mumbling something to the effect "I should have stayed in bed today!"

* * *

"Lorelai?"

"What is it Sookie? Did you need something?"

"Well, Michele came into the kitchen. He said that you scowled at him, and then yelled at Steve…"

"Yes, I did. He wasn't doing his job properly!"

" right, Lorelai what's the matter sweetie…"

"HE THREW IT OUT!" Lorelai yelled out of the blue…wow Tourette syndrome much, Lorelai? she sighed.

"Who threw what out ? you are not making any sense!" said Sookie sitting down next to Lorelai on the sofa.

"Luke, threw it out on purpose, I am sure of it!" Sookie sighed. She was pretty sure that Martha's teenage years were going to be a walk in the park, with all the practice she did with Lorelai lately.

Patiently, she bit the bullet and asked Lorelai "What did Luke threw out?"

"The hat. The blue hat. The one that I gave him…blue, it complemented his eyes…"

"Oh, that hat. Well so what? buy him another hat!"

"You don't understand, it's a symbol"

"What does it symbolize?"

"Me! I gave him the hat, we… we were not… and he just lost it or threw it… oh Sookie, I am a mess!"

"Correct me if I am wrong but didn't you put all of his things in a box?"

"Four!"

"Four what?"

"There are four boxes. And I happen to know where they are. And I also know by heart what each one contains! He loses his hat! How could he?"

Oh for heaven's sake, Sookie thought. How could he? How about you sleeping with that man and marrying him… she sighed. She kept her mouth shut on this for so long. She didn't want to hurt Lorelai, and she didn't want to hurt Luke either. They really had done a number on each other! Keep it neutral Sookie! "Lorelai you do remember what happened, right? It's been almost a year! I know that I am always at your side, you know this right? You are best friend, but this is ridiculous! So he lost it… you MARRIED CHRIS! How can a simple hat upset you so much after everything?"

"It's black and ugly."

"Lorelai"

" fine, I am aware that I am being ridiculous! That's me, Lorelai Gilmore Ridiculous! It going on my tombstone!" she sighed "It's just… we kissed and then nothing. He didn't do anything. He didn't even invite me upstairs…

"Did you want him to? your parents were there, and it was Rory's party, maybe he doesn't want put pressure on you… "

"I want to be pressured… it's been almost a year…"

"…and barely two months since your divorce! Just because you have reached a good place, it doesn't mean that everything can be picked up from where you left… and it's a novel thought but maybe he doesn't want to risk it himself. Maybe he wants to take it slow. And the hat… you know Luke. A hat is a hat, just a practical way to cover his hair… don't read more into this then what it is…"

"That's what he said…"

"Well listen to him for once… remember when I said to you, that if you wanted to know if he loved you, all you had to do was to look the guy in his eyes? it was right there, then, and it still is now… and it always will be, no matter what… just look into his eyes. And if that hat is so important, you could always go shopping for a new hat, maybe two is better…"

"Why two?"

"One for him to wear during work , and one for you to hold on to, should it happen that he loses it again… it's right there, still, Lorelai. No matter what… nor who. Not even a hat."

At that Lorelai felt better. Was it still there? She thought so. She had seen it the night of the party. No matter how much hurt he was, had been, he was there. Sookie was right.

"Thanks Sookie…."

"You are welcome sweetie. So can I tell the stuff that bad Lorelai is gone and normal Lorelai is back?"

"Yes."

"Good." And with that Sookie made her exit.

* * *

Later that night, the door bell jingled and Luke turned around to see Lorelai making her way to her seat. She looked at him, and pushed the shopping bag on the counted with a thud.

"Here"

"What is this?" Luke was confused. Alright he was confused, scared and aggravated all that once. A sensation that he carried for a long time in regards to the woman sitting opposite to him now.

"It's a shopping bag of course. Can I have my coffee, now?"

"Your coffee?"

"You know what I mean… but yeah" with that Luke nodded, took a mug out, and put HER COFFEE in it for her to drink. He shook his head at the absurdity that today had been, and it seemed to him that it was not over yet.

"Here is your coffee, It'll kill you but, what do I know…" at that Lorelai smiled again. A shiver ran Luke down his spine. What was with her today?

"Luke, lean over and close your eyes…"

Guarded, he asked " Why?"

"because you are tall, now shush, I have a surprise for you… trust me…"

Yeah, why not, trust her… that never got you into trouble did it? Luke thought, Oh what the hell? "Yeah right. Fine. But if it's something slimy or disgusting…" then he felt her hands touch his face, and going up, toward his hair he felt her remove his hat? And put it back? What the heck was she doing?

"Open your eyes…" and when he did she was right there, inches from his face, with a big smile… he looked at the old hat, that apparently she threw on the ground, and took the hat, that she had put on him, off to inspect it. It was a new blue hat

He leaned down toward her face "You bought me a new hat?"

"Nope… two. See it's blue and goes with your eyes and in the back…" she turned the hat over, showing a white embroidery that read " _Java Angel…"_

Java Angel? Oh Lorelai… "Lorelai… you didn't have to do this and why two?"

Well I figured, if you lose it, I have it, and you can wear it. It's custom made… I can have hundreds of them made. Luke, I need you to wear this … no more of that horrid black hat please… and I am sorry about this morning...not the show though, I loved it…"

Embarrassed, Luke looked down… "Jeez"

"But the conversation afterwards, I guess I panicked…"

" Lorelai I really don't remember. I threw away all of your staff. Everything that you used. Even your feminine stuff. The new sheets are at Liz's and so is the new comforter… all the other things, I packed it all and I threw it away, after Taylor's car… " Lorelai nodded. She understood exactly what he was talking about..

"I could pack up only four boxes. All the other stuff, well it was the whole house. And I do love the house. But your presence still lingers sometimes… I couldn't…"

Luke nodded. He couldn't say anything back at her. What could he say that wasn't already said. Or thought over and over.

Lorelai looked at him. Look in eyes…now mere centimeters apart…

"It's still there… it's still there…" a few tears broke out, and Lorelai didn't care.

"What?"

"You love me…"

"Yes I do…"

"Good because so do I…I love you"

"Oh Lorelai, I don't want to rush. I want to take this, us slow and steady…. "

"Alright, but not too slow or I just might seduce you…" she whispered and with that she leaned completely, and meeting in the middle, Luke had stopped to just look at her, but patience was never Lorelai strong suit so she leaned toward him, capturing his lips. Oh, how she had missed this… Shivers down her spine, the best feeling, the best kisses ever…

Both to wrapped in the kiss to realize the utter discomfort of this position. Lost in a long time coming and longtime secretly, covertly, denied, desired moment.

When they broke apart, a smile took place on Lorelai's face, while Luke was trying to compose himself.

"Thanks for hat the hat…"

"You are welcome… so, I'll see you in the morning?"

"Yes…"

"With your hat on?"

"Yes… you better go."

"Yeah I better go, goodnight Luke…"

"Goodnight Lorelai."

And with that she took the other shopping bag and made her way outside. She smelled the air. A smile still gracing the air… somehow, she felt now happier than she ever had been. EVER. Somehow they would make it she knew it, now.

Looking back at the diner she saw Luke closing up, stopping in the doorway, taking the hat off, to inspect the incision…with a smile and a shake of his head, he turned off the lights and went upstairs.

Lorelai hopped in the jeep. Fished the other hat from the shopping bag, and with her finger traced the writing. _Java Angel…_ you've got wings baby, she thought. She still was smiling when she put the car in gear and made her way home. And then she sighed… Luke's kisses always at this effect on her somehow… cold shower would have to do for now… she just hoped it wouldn't be for long.

Came on Luke just look at me in the eyes and see that is still and always will be right there, she thought while in bed that night, just before closing her eyes to a restful sleep.

END.

* * *

I hope you liked it.

If you want, review!

Madisondanes


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